The concept of ‘mindful indulgence’ comes alive with smaller stock-keeping units, shared Sravani Babu, Associate Director and Category Lead - Quaker, PepsiCo India, during a conversation in which she also spoke about the brand’s ambition to reach out to the masses with its latest portfolio expansion.

What was the motivation behind Quaker’s recent portfolio expansion and the launch of Quaker Instant Oats?
Indian consumers want everything. They don’t want to compromise on taste, but at the same time, they also want health benefits, which explains the growing demand for flavoured oats. Moreover, they want all of this fast. So, we have tried to combine these three propositions in the new instant oats that are wholesome, rich in protein and fibre, high in taste, and can be prepared in three minutes. It’s like a de facto meal.

What were the behavioural insights that you came across in the consumer research done before the launch?
During an internal study, we realised that there’s an increasing propensity among Indian consumers for ‘mindful indulgence’, especially post the pandemic. They are looking for healthy, grain-based options. Another interesting finding was that while earlier oats was looked at solely as a breakfast option, the category is now moving beyond it. People are consuming it as a midday or late-evening snack. They are taking it to work and the gym. Based on these insights, we decided to communicate this through the ad. Typically, our ads are centred around the breakfast table, but this time we tried to make it come across as an anytime snack that is healthy, delicious and convenient. Two features stand out - more consumption occasions and more flavours.

How did you arrive at the choice of flavours?
The flavours have been handpicked and researched thoroughly with consumers to understand what works for them. We have a mix of two international flavours, Italian Herby Cheese and Mixed Berries, along with the Indian Masala Magic. Masala Magic and Herby Cheese are on the savoury side, while Mixed Berries is slightly sweet. Interestingly, the consumers’ choice of flavours is not constant. We found that the same consumer may prefer a different flavour for a different occasion or time of the day.

Is there a specific TG that you are targeting with this launch?
The starting phase will be more urban-centric, but gradually we will go all across the board. If we look at the age groups, we have seen that instant oats is relished by everyone, be it Gen Z, millennials, or even the older generation. For this reason, we have chosen brand ambassadors who resonate with everyone. Kiara Advani was the most googled celebrity last year, and that is not possible without the involvement of Tier II and III audiences. We onboarded her and Sidharth Malhotra because we wanted to reach out to the masses with this launch.

Have you also changed your marketing and distribution strategies accordingly?
Quaker has always had higher ticket items in the past, but with instant oats, we have two starter Stock Keeping Units (SKUs) for the three variants. There’s a larger 400 gms pack for household consumption and a smaller sachet, which is the trial SKU, priced at 17 rupees. The reason why we’ve invested in the smaller SKU for the first time is to have larger ammunition for expansion into the retail segment. The moment you go mass, i.e. the mom-and-pop kirana stores, the expansion builds up. We strongly believe that it will help us explore a larger number of outlets and penetrate deeper into the market.

Quite intuitively, smaller SKUs are readily associated with ready-to-eat...
Absolutely. The concept of ‘mindful indulgence’ really comes alive with the smaller SKU. It’s a one-serve meal to satiate instant cravings in just three minutes. So, there’s a convenience aspect, there is a pocket-friendly aspect, and of course, there is a satiating aspect which exemplifies the whole idea of mindful indulgence.

How will your efforts be distributed across offline and online retail?
We are going across channels for this launch. This includes e-commerce, quick commerce, modern trade outlets, independent self-service outlets, as well as the common Kirana stores. We will be equally aggressive on all of them. The SKUs and the communication will be tailored depending on the channel, the market, and the consumers we are speaking to. For instance, while we will emphasize the tasty proposition in a mom-and-pop store, on a more evolved platform, we will highlight the nutritional value of the product.

Are there more elements to the promotional campaign?
It’s a 360-degree campaign with several elements. Beginning with the teaser, we move on to the celeb banter, the TVC, influencer activation, etc. Once the distribution is completed in a phased manner, we’ll begin outdoor / hoardings. Additionally, we’re going to reach out to a lot of apartments and societies for sampling.